Seal Rock Lighthouse.

Rare, c.19th hand coloured engraving of Sugarloaf Point lighthouse by James Waltham Curtis (1839-1901).

A lighthouse for Seal Rocks was first recommended in 1863, the lighthouse was designed by colonial architect James Barnet. It was built on the headland because landing construction materials directly on Seal Rocks proved too difficult.

description:
This Lighthouse is erected on Sugar Loaf Point, which is a projection of the mainland to the north of Port Stephens, New South Wales. It is a very picturesque spot and a pro- minent turning point for coasters between Queensland and the southern colonies. From one to two miles to the south- eastward of Sugar Loaf Point are the Seal Rocks, so-called from the animals of that name frequenting them. It was a very debatable point whether to erect the lighthouse on the Inner Rock or on its present site ; but the latter was deter- mined on after much careful consideration and investigation. The Inner Rock is about a mile and the outer about two miles distant from the mainland. The coasting steamers always pass inside the rocks and under the lighthouse, and thus afford to the passengers an exceedingly interesting spectacle.

From the original edition of the Illustrated Australian News. 

Collections:
University Queensland: Identifier 991000982479703131
State Library Victoria: PCINF IAN 04-09-76 P.133
National Library Australia: Bib ID 2495305
State Library New South Wales: CALL NUMBERS F079/55, TN380
Royal Geographic Society SA: RGS Special Coll. 079.94 I29d

References:

Syme, E. & D, Illustrated Australian News. ISSN 2208-5386..